Vaporizer for internal-combustion engines



1921 2 Sheets-Sheet (Tum-ne G. A. BREEZE E 1 i 2 :21 f L VAPORIZER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed June 2 Sept. 24, 1929.

$ept. 24, 1929.

GZABREEZE VAPORIZER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed June 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Batented Sept. 24, 1929 i UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE GEORGE A. BBEEZJE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN VAIPOBIZEB FOR INTEBNAL-CdMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed June 2, 1921, Serial No. 474,517. Renewed April 19, 1926.

This invention relates to liquid fuel vapartition plate which is mounted horizonporizers for internal combustion engines. tall-y .within the vaporizing chamber.

It is the object of the invention to provide In these views the reference character 1 means for intercepting such relatively heavy designates the cylinder block of an explosive particles or globules of liquid, fuel as. may engine,-and 2 and 3 indicate respectively the be carried or entrained in an explosive mixintake and exhaust manifolds of said engine. ture, to separate such intercepted particles The explosive mixture, before being delivfrom the main body of the mixture andto ered to the intake manifold, is passed heat said particles to the vaporization point through a vaporizing chamber 4 which may without unduly raising the temperature of be attached to said manifold beneath the 60 the mixture as a whole. same and is preferably integrally connected To provide for warming the mixture to said manifold. An intake conduit 5 dethroughout only to the temperature produc- .pends integrally from the chamber 4: to be tive of most etiicient engine operation by reconnected witha carbureter (not shown) and introducing into the mixture the heated gas an opening 6 in the top of said chamber is e5 from the vaporized fuel is a further object of adapted to discharge the vaporized mixture the invention. cent-rally into the intake manifold. The con- In attaining these and various other obduit 5, in communicating with the chamber jects the invention contemplates passing the 4 is out of registration with the opening 6,

mixture, as it is carried to the engine, said conduit being located in the illustrated 70 through a vaporizing chamber having aporform of the invention at one end of said tion offset from the main path of the mixture chamber. The vaporizing chamber is laterand suitably heated, as for example, by passally extended at one side to form an offset ing a branch exhaust pipe through said poreddy portion 7 out of the vertical plane of the 2 tion, a succession of battle plates being arintake passage 5 and opening 6, as shown in 7 ranged Within said chamber to intercept the 'Fig. l, through which the main current of mixture and provide lodgment for insuflithe explosive mixture does not pass. This ciently vaporizing fuel, with provision for portion is heated, the illustrated heating draining such fuel from said baiiles into said means being a branch exhaust pipe 8 having heated portion of the chamber, so that such one end opening into a coupling 9 connecting so fuel will be transformed to a hot gas or vapor the exhaust manifold 3 with the main exand as such will be redelivered into the flowhaust pipe 10, said end being beveled to ining mixture, moderately elevating the temtercept and divert a portion of the exhaust perature thereof and assisting to complete gases. Said pipe 8, atits other end opens vaporization of the Whole volume of mixture into a larger thin walled heating pipe 11 ex- 85 as it passes to the engine. tending from end to end of the vaporizin A preferred embodiment of theinvention chamber, within the offset. portion 7 thereo is hereinafter described and is illustrated in To discharge the exhaust gases from the pipe the accompanying drawings, wherein, 11 there is extended therein the perforated 40 Fig. 1 is a view'in side elevation of the cylend portion of a muffler pipe 12 which termi- 9o inder block of an engine equipped with the nally is so reduced as to ali'ord only a very improved vaporizer. .small inlet 13 supplementing the perfora- Fig. 2 is a similar view, somewhat enlarged tions 14. The relatively enlarged pipe 11 inin scale, sectionally showing the vaporizing creases the surface to which heat is transchamber. ferred from the exhaust gases and there is 95 Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the also insured a considerable transfer of heat vaporizer taken upon line 3-8 of Fig. 2. to the perforated portion of the mufller pipe Fig. 4 is a view of the same in horizontal 12, owing to the intimate contact occurring section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. as the gases are forced to escape through the Fig. 5 is a bottom view of a bathe-forming perforations. By thus insuring a considerable withdrawal of heat from the exhaust gases, a muifling effect (or pressure reduction) is exerted upon said gases Within the heated portion of the vaporizing chamber. 15 is a partition plate, which may be formed of sheet metal and which, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is substantially horizontal, dividing the vaporizing cham her into upper and lower portions having communication only through a series of slotted openin s 16 in saidplate, approximately bisected by the common plane of the conduit 5 and opening 6, and occupying a diagonal relation to said plane. These openings are out of registration with the conduit. 5, and their width is successively increased proportionally to their distance from said conduit, as may bebest seen in Fig. 4..

A baffle plate 17 preferably depends from that edge of each opening which is nearest the inlet of the conduit 5 to the chamber 4, and said baflie plates may be economically formed by deflecting downward the metal struck out of the partition 15 in forming the slot 16. The rear portion of the partition 15 is ribbed, as indicated at 1.8, to provide for seating said plate upon the pipe 11 while maintaining said plate spaced slightly above said pipe. At its front edge said partition is flanged, as indicated at 19, to bear upon a glass plate 20 which forms a window in the vaporizing chamber, and permits the effect upon the mixture to be observed. Said plate is held in position by a suitably apertured clamping frame 21 secured to the chamber 4 by bolts 22.

In the operation of the describedconstruction, the gaseous mixture discharging into ing and flowing toward the openings 16. In

entering said openings the mixture is distributed across and successively encounters the baffles 17, which, in deflecting said mixture, tend to separate therefrom the heavier particles or globules of unvaporized fuel. Owing to the diagonal relation of said baflles to the flow of the mixture, the latter tends to urge the liquid fuel lodging on said baflles to flow longitudinally thereof toward the heating pipe 11, and such a flow of the intercepted liquid fuel is further induced by inclining the baffles toward said heating pipe. As is shown in Fig. 3,'the entire vaporizer is somewhat inclined to the vertical, thus efl'ecting a corresponding inclination of the baffle plate and lower wall of the vaporizing chamber so as to further assist in directing the flow of all of the accumulated liquid fuel toward the heated portion of the vaporizing chamber. By making the area of the opening 16 initially encountered by the mixture so small as to afford a passage to only a small portion of the mixture, and successively insaid battles and delivered into contact with the heating element 11 is quickly raised in temperature to the vaporizing point, .being then returned into the flowing mixture. The heated vapor thus introduced into the mixture is not of sufiicient volume to greatly raise the temperature of the mixture as a whole, but does suliiciently warm the; mixture to secure the most eifective combustion of the same.

It is to be noted that the thin-walled tube 11 provides a considerable surface for the dissipation of heat to the mixt re thus providing for a considerable transfer of heat to the mixture without subjecting the Wall of the heater to an undesirably high temperature as in hot spot constructions. most ctficient operation of a fuel vaporizer it is highly essential to avoid surfaces so hot as to prohibit a spreading of the fuel upon said surfaces. The rapidity with which the described heater will acquire and dissipate heat permits the heater to rapidly reach its proper working temperature upon the start ing of the engine with which the vap rizer is associated, and furthermore permits the heater to quickly respond by a suitable rise or fall of tci'nperature to variations in the flow of mixture through the vaporizing chamber.

It is an important feature of the described construction that the heatingmeans employed to eil'ect vaporization of the relatively heavy particles of fuel is so located as to be ineffective to appreciably raise the temperature of the main body of the flowing mixture. It is to be observed also that the partition plate 15 and its integral baflles remain at a comparatively low temperature, being constantly cooled by contact of the incoming mixture.

The increase in the cross sectional area of the heating pipe 11, compared to the inlet to said pipe is useful in preventing an overheating of the fuel mixture, since this relation retards the admission of exhaust gas to the heater with respect to dissipation of heat therefrom, and thus'reduces the temperature at which the heat is transferred to the fuel mixture.

While the main factor in avoiding overheating of the mixture is the location. of the heating pipe out of the path of the mixture, it is to be noted that the arrangement of the heater in close proximity to the wall of the projection 7 (see Figure 3) renders negligible the transfer of heat from said portion to the mixture. and is hence an additional safeguard against overheating. Thus while For the in said chamber substantially parallel to the direction of flow of the mixture tli-rough the chamber but out of the main current of said flow, means for delivering exhaust gases from the engine to one end of said pipe, a perforated discharge pipe for said exhaust gases of a diameter less than of the first mentioned pipe, and extending within the latter, and

means Within said chamber for intercepting the heavier globules of liquid fuel and delivering the same into contact with said firstmentioned pipe.

2-. In a vaporizer for internal combustion engines, the combination With a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for an explosive mixture, of a partition Within said chamber intermediate the inlet and outlet thereof, having an opening for the passage of the mixture, out of registration with the inlet to the chamber, mean for heating a portion of the chamber outside of the main path of the mixture, and a baflle member depending from said partition for intercepting the heavier globules of liquid fuel, said ballle having its lower edge downwardly inclining toward said heated portion of the chamber.

3 In a vaporizer for internal combustion engines, the combination with a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for an explosive mixture, of a partition within said chamber intermediate the inlet and outlet thereof, having an opening for the passage of the mixture, out of registration with the inlet to the chamber, means for heating a portion of the chamber at one side of the main path of the mixture, and a battle member depending from said partition for intercepting the heavier globules of liquid fuel, said bafile having its lower edge downwardly inclined toward said heated portion of the chamber and being integrally struck out of said opening in the partition.

4. In a vaporizer for internal combustion engines, the combination with a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for an explosive mixture. of a partition within said chamber intermediate the inlet and outlet thereof, having a series of slotted openings forming passages for the mixture. said open ings being successively increased in area in the direction of the flow of the mixture,

means for heating a portion of said chamber at one side of the main path of the mixture and battles depending from said partition respectively ad acent to said openings for intercepting the heavier globules of liquid fuel, said battles having their lower edges in clined downwardly toward said heated pou tion of the chamber to direct the intercepted .iquid fuel into said portion.

5. In a vaporizer for internalcombustion engines, the combination with avaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for an explosive mixture, of a partition Within said chamber intermediate the inlet and outlet thereof, having a series of slotted openings forming passages for the mixture, said openings being successively increased in area in the direction of the flow of the mixture,

means for l1: ating a portion of said chamber at one side of the main path of the mixture and batiies depending from said partition for intercepting the heavier globules of liquid fuel, said batlies having their lower edges inclined downwardly toward said heated portion of the chamber to direct the intercepted liquid fuel into said portion, said hailles having the nature of tongues integral with said partition and struck out of said openings of t e partition.

6. In a vaporizer for internal combustion engines, the combination with a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for the explosive mixture, of a heating element extending within said chamber parallel to the direction of flow of the mixture and at one side of the path of said flow, a partition Within said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet and formed with a series of slots diagonal to the flow of the mixture and successively encountered by the mixture, said slots being increased successively in width in the direction of the flow, baille members formed by tongues struck out of said openings and depending from the advance edges thereof. said partitionbeing spaced above said heating element and ribbed to seat thereon, said baflle members intercepting the heavier particles of liquid fuel and deflecting the same into contact with said heating element.

7. A. fuel mixture vaporizer comprising a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for a fuel mixture, and having a portion transversely offset from the path established from said inlet to said outlet, means for heating said ollset portion, and a plate having an imperforate portion opposed to said inlet and having a portion formed with a plurality of openings. to which the mixture is diverted by said in'iperforate portion.

S. In a vaporizer as set-forth in im 7. means extending from said plate for intercepting unvaporized particles carried by the mixture, and delivering such particles to said offset portion.

9. A f el mixture vaporizer comprising a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for a fuel mixture and having a portion transversely offset from the mixture Til path established between said inlet and outsaid offset portion of the vaporizing chamber, and having an outer surface wlthin said offset portion, and means for delivering a heating medium to said heating chamber.

10. In a vaporizer for internal combustion engines, a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for an explosive mixture, a partition within said chamber intermediate the inlet and outlet thereof, formed with a plurality of openings for passage of the mixture, portions of said partition marginal to said openings being flanged in a direction reverse to the flow through said openings, to intercept fuel particles entrained by the mixture, and means for heating-a portion of. said chamber lying beneath said partition, whereby said flanges are adapted to deliver intercepted liquid fuel by gravity to said heated portion of the chamber.

ll. In a vaporizer for internal combustion engines, a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outletfor an explosive mixture, means for heating a portion of the vaporizing chamber, a partition within the vaporizing chamber compelling a flow of the mixture transverse to the inlet, said partition having a plurality of openings for passage of the mixture and having projections ad jacent to said openings for intercepting drops of the fuel entrained by the mixture, said partition being at a level above that of the heating means, and thereby arranged to induce a gravity travel of the intercepted drops substantially toward said means.

1'2. A vaporizer comprising a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for a fuel mixture, and having a portion projecting transversely to the path established between said inlet and outlet, and a tubular heating chamber arranged completely within said projecting portion of the vaporizing chamber, a portion of the wall of said projecting portion being curved in a spaced and substantially parallel relation to said heating chamber.

13. A vaporizer comprising a fuel mixture vaporizing chamber, a plate dividing said chamber into an upper and lower compartment and providing for a flow from the lower to the upper compartment, means for delivering a fuel mixture to the lower compartment, the upper compartment having an opening for the discharge of said mixture, and. the lower compartment having a portion offset to one side of the path of mixture flow established by said delivery means and discharge opening, and means for heating said olfset portion.

14. A vaporizer comprising a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for a fuel mixture, means for heating said chamber and a battle member disposed within said chamber between said inlet and outlet formed with a plurality of openings for the flow of mixture, and projections carried by said baffie member between said openings upon the inlet side of said baffle member for intercept- .and outlet, formed with a plurality of openings for the passage of a fuel mixture, and members struck out'of said openings and projecting substantially transversely to the flow through said chamber to intercept liquid fuel particles entrained by the mixture.

16. A vaporizer comprising a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for a fuel mixture, a batlle member arranged within said chamber establishing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet, and deflecting the flow of the mixture parallel to said battle member, heating means elongated in the direction of flow through said'cha-mber, and projections carried by said battle member extending toward said heating means at an inclination in the direction of flow.

17. A vaporizer comprising a vaporizing chamber having an inlet and an outlet for a fuel mixture, and having a portion offset transversely to the flow from said inlet to said outlet, a heating chamber disposed Within said offset portion having a relatively thin wall as compared to that of said vaporizing chamber, and means for delivering a fluid heating medium to said heating chamber.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification. I

GEORGE A. BREEZE.

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